Pathways
by BK Love-ah
Summary: Sequel to "For Better, For Worse, For Life." Marcus and his reincarnated mate travel far away from Volterra. In the midst of Aro's betrayal, the two of them find comfort in each other and try to make a fresh start. Rated M for certain chapters. I DO NOT OWN TWILIGHT! R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello, and welcome to chapter one. I hope you'll enjoy this story!**_

**abishop47-**** Thanks so much for your review, and for following me. I hope this story will please you =)**

**victoria cullen30-**** I'm glad you like it! And as for your hopes, it **_**might**_** happen in one way or another… ;)**

**Elisabeth O neill-**** No, Moyra isn't dead. She and Didyme are one and the same; she just didn't remember. She's still Moyra, but now she remembers her past life as Didyme and chooses to be called by her old name.**

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The two of them continued to run for several days until they found an interesting place to stop. According to a few signs, Marcus determined that they were somewhere in the Netherlands. They could have just kept going for as long as they desired, but for the moment, neither of their hearts was in it.

Eventually, they just stopped running and looked around. There weren't any humans nearby, but they were out in the open. It was a bit damp, but nice-looking. There was green grass around them, and a small pond. Behind them, a windmill was spinning in the air, its sound perfectly audible to their hearing.

Marcus stared at Didyme for a moment and extended his hand. She immediately stepped forward to take it, and they walked over to the windmill. After Marcus sat down and leaned his back against the wooden structure, he reached his arms out to pull Didyme against him, her back resting against his chest. He loosely draped both arms around her form in a firm but gentle grip. She leaned into his embrace, taking comfort in his tenderness.

Her mind was still racing over what happened with Aro.

_How could he do such a thing to me? I was his sister…not just his coven mate, but his own flesh and blood! He claimed to love me, but…how could he love me, yet be willing to end my life for the good of the Volturi? _

She closed her eyes as she felt Marcus rest his head against hers, softly nuzzling her neck. Didyme turned to him and brushed her lips across his cheek until he captured her lips with his. Their kiss was unlike all of their other ones. It wasn't one of lust or desire, but one of grief and sadness. But there was as much love in that kiss as there ever had been, no matter what their reason was for doing so.

They eventually broke the kiss and stared out ahead of them.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The two of them would have stayed like that for days, but after a long while, they felt the familiar pangs of thirst. They reluctantly got up and sett off again, searching for their prey.

Eventually, after travelling into some woods, they picked up the scent of at least one human. They moved swiftly, following the trail. After a while, they found their target.

A man and a woman seemed to be hiking through the woods, using long sticks to assist with their balance. Didyme's heart felt that familiar ache of guilt, but the burn in her throat was much stronger. Marcus looked at her, and she nodded. Without another word, they charged.

Before the two humans even had a chance to cry out, Marcus had seized the man and bitten into his throat. Didyme forced herself to do the same with the woman, allowing her instincts to do the work. In a matter of seconds, it was over. The two of them carried the corpses over to some bushes and laid them askew, hoping for it to look like an animal attack.

After looking at them for a moment, Didyme took Marcus's outstretched hand. They took off once more, running for all they were worth.

OOOOOOOOOOO

A few days later, they were next to the ocean. Neither of them was quite sure where they were, but then again, they didn't really care. After looking around a bit, they spotted a boulder near the waves and walked over to it. They sat down against it side-by-side and stared out at the water. For a few minutes, it was silent.

"Didyme."

"Hmm?"

Marcus sighed softly before talking again.

"Forgive me."

Didyme turned to him, unsure of what he was referring to.

"What for?"

"Had I known what Aro had planned for you, I never would have left you alone at the castle that night. I cannot even imagine…"

Didyme turned to him and gently pressed her finger against his lips, halting his sentence.

"It wasn't your fault. You were not aware of it."

She lowered her finger and looked away.

"Besides, even if you hadn't gone with Caius, Aro would have found some way to stop us from leaving. He was far too lustful for power to allow us our happiness."

Marcus looked down, nodding slowly in agreement.

"Yes, he was. But it matters not anymore. You came back to me."

Didyme nodded and smiled.

"True."

Turning to look at his mate, Marcus carefully moved his arm around her waist, pulling her a bit closer to him. She leaned towards him, accepting his kiss. They poured themselves into each other, wanting to be complete in every way. After a moment, Marcus broke the kiss and took Didyme's face into his hands.

"My love…let us not be haunted by the past any longer. We had always talked about travelling the world together, and if you still wish that, it is what I long for."

Didyme stared into his eyes and nodded.

"Yes. I want that with all my heart."

Marcus softly stroked his love's cheek with this thumb, and then, he did something Didyme had not seen in over three thousand years.

He smiled.

"Then we shall. So…all is behind us?"

"Yes. It's behind us."

They kissed once more, wrapping their arms tightly around each other, as if they were trying to merge into one being. As the waves gently crashed against the pebbles, the two of them allowed themselves to be consumed in their passion and desire once more.

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_**Sorry if this one's a bit short, but I'll try to post the next one ASAP. Thanks!**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Greetings. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**_

**Abishop47-**** Thanks, I'm glad you like it! And good luck at the hospital =]**

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After spending the night next to the ocean, the two of them jumped into the water and headed out to the open sea. Didyme still hadn't become reacquainted with a vampire body yet, despite having been changed for quite some time. But one of the aspects of it that amazed her was the inability to become tired, to not have to stop and rest. It proved to be quite useful, especially with their current task.

One night, during their third day of swimming, Marcus pointed out towards something. Didyme looked out and smiled. In the moonlight, they were able to see an enormous blue whale, and what looked to be its calf. The two of them smiled and went forward to swim next to the animals. One of the melon-sized eyes gazed into Marcus's before turning forward again. The vampire looked over towards his mate, and they grinned knowingly at each other.

For the next two days, the four of them swam together, all going in the same direction. Eventually, the large animal squeaked something at her child, and the two of them dived deep below, disappearing beneath the water. Moving side-by-side once more, Didyme and Marcus continued on.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

It was several days later when the two of them finally reached an unknown shore. They stayed beneath the surface for a little while, waiting for the sun to duck behind one of the clouds long enough for them to get out. Once that opportunity presented itself, they looked around and made a dash out of the water, jumping into some nearby bushes. They made sure to hold their breaths, as it was their time to feed.

Once there weren't too many people around, they stepped out, their clothes sopping wet. A man walked by and smiled.

"What, did you guys fall in?"

Didyme and Marcus chuckled, staying under the shade to hide their eyes.

"It happens," the young vampire said, and the man walked off.

The sun had come out again, so the two of them had to wait. While doing so, Marcus reached into his shirt and pulled out a waterproof plastic bag. It had their sunglasses in it, along with some money for them to use whenever they needed to buy new clothes. Once the sun was hidden again, they put on the glasses and walked to the nearest clothing store. Didyme found a long brown sundress, along with a black shawl. Marcus got a simple black dress shirt with dark slacks, as well as a black hat wide enough to protect his face from the sun. For safety, he also got a long coat. They didn't want to stick out by walking around without shoes, so they each got a pair of sketchers before leaving the store.

After going outside and covering themselves up, they went outside.

"So," Didyme said, looking around, "where are we?"

Marcus looked around as well before slowly extending a finger. Didyme looked in the direction he was pointing in and gasped. It was the Statue of Liberty.

"Are…are we in New York?"

"Yes," Marcus answered, grinning. "New York City, to be specific."

Didyme smiled. When she was brought back to life, she learned a lot about the Big Apple while growing up. After graduating college, it had been on her list of places she wanted to visit.

Almost as if he was reading her mind, Marcus moved behind her and snaked his arms around her waist.

"Does this please you, my love?"

"Of course. You always please me."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Before going around the city, the pair had to feed. They waited until it became dark, and then walked around, looking for people that probably wouldn't be missed.

Eventually, they came to a small deserted park filled with a few people. They were dressed in ratty clothes, and they were digging through trashcans for a bite to eat. Didyme glanced at Marcus for a moment before they went forward. An idea had crossed her mind, one that might ease the suffering of these people.

"Excuse me?" she asked in her angelic voice as she and Marcus approached the small group.

There were four of them, three men and one woman. Before they even had a chance to ask who they were, they were suddenly overcome with the most wonderful feeling they had ever lived to feel. Utter joy coursed through them as they gazed at these two strangers. They looked like angels to them.

Didyme smiled with genuine kindness.

"You haven't felt happy in a long time, have you?"

The four of them shook their heads, muttering their answers. As Didyme started talking again, Marcus went up behind the group and gently took one of the men by the arm. He didn't resist, since he was still under the spell.

"You don't have to feel hopeless anymore," Didyme said, trying not to look as Marcus instantly drained the first man. "There is a lack of hope in the world, but there shouldn't be."

In the next moment, Marcus had fed from the second man. All that remained were the middle-aged woman and a man who looked to be in his thirties. Neither of them noticed the absence of their two companions. Once Marcus nodded at her, Didyme stepped forward and pulled her two victims into an embrace, one with each arm.

"I'm here to help you," she whispered. "It'll be okay now."

Once she felt all traces of fear leave them, she moved one hand to each of their throats and quickly squeezed, ending their lives instantly. Then, she drank from both until there was nothing left. After she was finished, she felt her guilt and sadness return. Marcus stepped forward and grasped both her shoulders.

"That was unbelievably kind of you." Didyme started to shake her head, but he spoke again. "No, it was. None of them felt any pain, not even for an instant. They died feeling happier than they ever felt in their lives. Now, they no longer have to consume other people's filth. You released them from that."

After a few moments, Didyme nodded. She still wasn't entirely please with the idea of having to kill, but it eased her mind a bit to know that they didn't suffer.

"You're kind as well," she said. "You killed them quickly, and you were gentle. Just like you were gentle with that child before."

Marcus slowly pulled her into an embrace.

"I know you still have your doubts, my sweet, but this is simply our way. A human is not evil for slaughtering a hog for food, nor is a lion a monster for killing an elk. It is simply what we are designed to do. It is how we survive."

Didyme closed her eyes, resting her face against Marcus's chest. For a few minutes, they simply stood like that. Then, they quickly disposed of the corpses by finding a patch of loose ground behind some bushes and digging a deep hole. After burying them, they found some flat stones to lie on them, preventing them from being dug up. It was the least they could do. Afterwards, they swam in the water to rinse the blood and dirt from their clothing, running around in several circles until they were dry.

Finally, they found a large tree. The two of them sat down against it, embracing each other while waiting for the sun to return once more.

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_**I hope you liked this one.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hi, again. This chapter will get a bit explicit, so beware. I hope you like it!**_

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Marcus and Didyme spent the next three days walking all over the city. They climbed the Statue of Liberty, explored the entirety of Central Park, visited the Museum of Natural History, and so much more. The beauty of it was that they didn't even have to stop when it got dark. After all, it was the city that never sleeps.

Eventually, they felt that it was time to move on. It wasn't safe to feed in the city again, since they didn't want the police to grow suspicious of the decreasing number of homeless people on the street.

On the morning of the fourth day, they bought two train tickets to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They got a few stares due to their conservative clothing, but they didn't pay it any mind. Didyme merely rested her head against Marcus's shoulder and looked out the window, watching the trees go by. In turn, Marcus tenderly laid his hand on top of hers, softly stroking her skin with his thumb. The trip seemed like mere seconds, as long as they were with each other.

OOOOOOOOOOO

After getting off the train, they walked through the maze of buildings and people. Their journey through New York made them yearn for some time by themselves, so they walked at a fairly fast pace. Eventually, they made it over the bridge into a nice section of woods. These woods seemed to lead out of the city and into some long-stretching areas of trees and bushes. As soon as they were out of sight, they grasped hands and took off.

Fortunately for them, the woods appeared to be never-ending, greatly satisfying their craving for privacy. After another day of running, they encountered a river. It was fairly hidden, and there was no sign of any human life nearby, so it seemed like a good place to stop.

They sat on some grass next to the water and listened. It was a bit chilly, but in the distance, an owl still felt the need to fill the air with its smooth hoot. The river ran over a few pebbles on the shore, gently moving them over each other. Didyme couldn't help but smile. A few seconds later, she felt a strong but gentle arm wrap around her shoulders. She moved her arms around Marcus's waist, resting her head against his chest.

It couldn't have been more perfect.

OOOOOOOOOOO

They stayed in the area for a couple weeks before taking off again. After a few days, road signs informed them that they were in Wisconsin. They soon came across a large and very familiar-looking body of water, which turned out to be Lake Michigan. After finding a patch of woods next to the water, they settled down.

"Didyme."

She turned to Marcus, who was looking into the woods. After following his gaze, Didyme spotted what had him on edge.

A group of four was hiking through the woods. The scent of blood suddenly hit her nose, as one of them seemed to have scraped themselves. Watching more closely, she saw that the group consisted of a middle-aged couple, a man in his late twenties, and a young boy. The sight of the child made Didyme's insides twist.

"About the child…" Marcus said quietly. "Do you wish to have him, or would you rather I did it?"

Even after being changed, Didyme did not once feed on a child. She simply couldn't bring herself to do so, just as she was unable to do with this boy.

"We'll move quickly," she whispered. "I'll take the older ones, and you'll have the young man. After that, I'll distract the boy while you feed from him."

Marcus nodded grimly, not wanting to do this any more than her.

"I will be as gentle as possible," he promised.

With that, they pounced. The older humans were both dead within nine seconds, while Marcus had drained the young man in six. After dropping the corpses, Marcus and Didyme turned on the boy. What they saw was heartbreaking.

The little boy ran towards the dead woman with tears in his eyes. He grasped her hand, trying to pull her up.

"Mommy," he cried. "Mommy, get up! _Please!_"

Not bearing to see the child suffer for another moment, Didyme immediately extended her pink aura. In a matter of seconds, the boy had stopped crying. He smiled and ran towards Didyme's outstretched arms. She scooped him up and looked into his eyes.

"What's your name, young one?"

"Christopher."

"That's a nice name."

The boy smiled at her.

"You're a pretty lady."

Didyme couldn't help but chuckle at that. As Marcus stepped besides them and took the wrist of the oblivious boy, Didyme forced herself to focus on him.

"Well, that's awfully nice of you to say. Do you like the woods, Christopher?"

He was dead before he could answer. Didyme sunk to her knees and gently set the body down, moving her hand to shut the boy's eyes. In an instant, Marcus went down besides her and pulled her into his arms.

They sat there for a long time. Marcus gently whispered to Didyme as she sobbed dryly into his shoulder. She understood that they had to kill humans to survive, but to kill children…

_They've only barely begun their lives. It's just not fair…_

After a while, she pulled back. Marcus looked at her and stroked her cheek.

"There was no choice," he said quietly. "We could not risk him exposing us."

Didyme nodded, keeping her head down.

They piled the bodies together and pulled away some of the bloody clothes, throwing them across some bushes to make it look like an animal had done it. Then, they turned to the corpses and set them on fire. While the pyre burned, Didyme softly whispered a prayer for their souls. As soon as there was nothing left but powdery ash, they spread it around with branches and started running once more.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day, they traveled around the lake a bit more. They remained in the woods for the most part, wanting to stay away from the sunlight in the event that they were seen. A few boats had gone across the water during the day. They were rather interesting to watch, since each one looked a bit different.

Once the sun went down, Marcus took Didyme's hand and led her into the woods again, away from any chances of being spotted. He brought her towards a tree with soft green moss surrounding its base. Before she knew what was happening, Didyme found herself being picked up bridal style. An instant later, Marcus had set her down on her back, in front of the tree.

"Marcus, what…"

He cut her off with his lips on hers, and she was ensnared. She tried to wrap her arms around his neck, but Marcus had other ideas. He seized her wrists in his hand and pinned them above her head, while reaching down with his free hand and slowly lifting her skirt. After gently pulling the sundress off over his mate's head. Marcus bent down and put both hand underneath her arms, carefully lifting her and pushing her forward to lean against the tree a bit. Some of the moss had snaked its way up the trunk, so Didyme's head was nicely cushioned.

Marcus feasted his eyes on Didyme's naked form before moving towards her, ghosting his lips in front of hers.

"I want you to do something for me," he whispered.

"What?"

Marcus slowly reached down and took both of his love's hands. He moved each one to either side of the tree, grasping his fingers around hers to make her grab the slightly protruding roots.

"I want you to keep your hands here, on these roots. You are not to move them until I tell you." He stared lustfully into her eyes. "Do you understand?"

Overwhelmed with desire, Didyme nodded.

Marcus smiled and kissed her with all his passion. She responded with equal intensity as they absorbed each other without restraint. After Marcus pulled his lips from hers, Didyme couldn't help but let out a small whine of frustration. He merely smiled mischievously and moved down to kiss her neck. Didyme closed her eyes and leaned back as he traveled across her collarbone and reached her shoulder. Her core burned with unyielding need as she tried to hold back her cries of pleasure.

Staring up into his mate's eyes, Marcus traveled down her chest and moved one hand up to claim her breast. Didyme moaned in pure desire as he gently took her erect peak into his mouth, running his tongue around it at an agonizingly slow pace. He continued to torment her like this for a few minutes more before trailing his mouth and tongue down her stomach, and a bit further.

Didyme squirmed with need, but Marcus pressed one hand to each thigh and held them down firmly.

"Marcus," Didyme whispered, desperate to touch him. "_Please…_"

Looking up at her again, Marcus allowed a small but loving smile to ghost across his lips. He stared into her eyes and slowly shook his head before lowering it towards her core.

Didyme cried out as she felt his lips on her. She shook her head back and forth, holding onto the tree roots for dear life. Feeling his love's reaction, Marcus chuckled against her before doubling the intensity of his movements.

He subjected Didyme to this sweet torture for more than thirty minutes before speaking once more.

"Shall I finish it for you, my love?"

"_Yes,_" Didyme breathed, exhausted with lust. "Please, Marcus…_**yes**_…"

He smiled.

"As you wish."

It only took him a few seconds to finally deliver her to the sweet world of many colors. As Didyme cried out, she barely noticed Marcus moving above her. Before she could think straight again, he pushed himself into her.

Didyme nearly fell backwards, but Marcus caught her, moving his arms underneath her quaking form. She stared up at him as he moved within her, and after a few seconds, he nodded. Her arms were finally around him in a matter of seconds, and a few more moments after that, they had reached their climax together.

They just stayed there after it was over, completely lost in each other.

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_**I hope you liked this one!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**And we're back. Happy reading!**_

**victoria cullen30-**** Thanks, I appreciate it!**

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They continued travelling for several months, being very careful not to attract attention. Having experienced a lot of bad weather, they ultimately had to replace their clothing. Eventually, they ended up somewhere in South Dakota. It was a very nice-looking place with a lot of trees, so they had very few worries when it came to exposure.

The morning after they had hunted, Marcus took Didyme's hand and led her into the woods. It was a favorite pastime of theirs since arriving. Didyme found it enjoyable to listen to the different creatures in the trees, and to listen to cars drive by on the road next to them. There were never any unwelcome sounds.

Not until today…

Marcus suddenly stopped in his tracks, his body going rigid. After a few moments, Didyme heard something and reacted equally. It was a woman screaming from far ahead of them. Her cries were followed by laughter, cruel-sounding laughter. Without a word, Didyme took off running.

"Be careful," Marcus warned before running after her.

In a matter of seconds, Didyme stopped and grasped two trees to still herself. She could see the road through the branches and spotted a single car on the opposite side. There were three motorcycles behind it as well. But she both saw and smelled something a bit further past them that made her insides crawl with disgust.

Four figures were in the woods across from Didyme, human figures. The woman was on the ground, sobbing horribly and vainly trying to get up. Three leather-clad men were staring down at her, and it became obvious that they were the source of the laughter. Suddenly, one of them stepped forward and kicked the woman, who was already covered in blood, among another unpleasant thing. Then, he leaned down and got on top of her. Didyme was seething by the time Marcus reached her.

"We have to do something," Didyme said.

"Yes."

Not wasting another moment, they charged.

Marcus grabbed both bystanders with each of his hands and dragged them away. Ignoring their screams, Didyme ran at the woman's current attacker and seized his jacket, throwing him against a tree. He looked at her in confusion and horror.

"Jesus Christ, bitch!"

"How does it feel to be the weak one, little _insect?_" Didyme snapped, letting her animal instincts take over as she pressed her arm against his neck. "It's not fun to be bullied by someone stronger, is it?"

"Get off me, you-"

She pressed her arm forward, snapping the man's neck instantly. As he fell to the ground, Didyme backed away and looked at the woman. When she saw her, it felt as if she was torn in two.

The human woman was barely breathing. Her skirt was torn, and there were open wounds all over her exposed legs. They had also torn her shirt. Didyme cringed as she saw the kick marks all over the woman's chest and shoulders. Her head was also bleeding heavily. After glancing over at the car and seeing the hood up, Didyme surmised that the woman was having car trouble, and those three excuses for humans had taken advantage of the deserted area. Marcus reached her side as she turned back to the woman.

"P-Please…" she breathed, barely able to do so. "Dahnya…"

"Who?" Didyme asked.

The woman glanced over at her car as tears ran down her face.

"My d-daughter…take care of h-her…_please_…"

"Hang on," Didyme pleaded, pressing her hand to the woman's forehead. "We'll get you to the hospital."

But it was too late. The woman's breathing slowed, and they both heard her heart beat its last. Overwhelmed with sorrow, Didyme brushed the woman's blood-soaked bangs out of her face before getting up and slowly walking towards the car. It was locked, but she easily yanked it open. When she looked inside, something shifted within her.

The little girl looked to be about five or six, and she had curly blonde hair. When she saw Didyme, she backed away with tears in her eyes.

"It's okay," Didyme said gently. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"Where's Mommy?" the girl asked. "Those mean men were hurting her…is she okay?"

"Oh, sweetheart…we made the men go away, but…they hurt her really badly. She lost a lot of blood, and…"

While saying this, Didyme saw the tears overflow the girl's eyes. She ached for her, feeling an overwhelming motherly impulse to protect the child with her life. Without a word, she gently pulled her into her arms and allowed her to wrap her tiny arms around her neck.

"No…Mommy…"

"I know, I'm so sorry. Shh…"

As Didyme comforted the child, Marcus gathered the corpses of the attackers. He was able to start a contained fire between the trees, and after burning them for a few hours, they were reduced to ash. He chose not to burn the woman, since the authorities would gather enough evidence to conclude the cause of death. True, they would never find the perpetrators, but justice had been served.

The sun started to go down, and eventually, the girl had calmed. Marcus motioned for Didyme to follow him, and she got up.

"Should I take this one as well?" Marcus asked.

Didyme blinked a few times before speaking.

"What do you mean?"

"Shall I dispose of her, or would you rather do it?"

"Marcus…"

He looked at her discouragingly, recognizing the look in her eyes.

"We cannot make exceptions, Didyme. She has seen too much."

"No! She was in the car, we don't know how much she saw…"

"It's too great a risk."

Didyme found herself growing angry and fearful.

"Please," she begged. "We don't have to kill her!"

"We must."

"Why can't we…you know…keep her with us?"

At this, Marcus shook his head.

"It is illegal to change children, you know that. She would be beyond our control, no matter what we did."

"But we could wait to change her until she's old enough."

"And what if she gets too close while we're trying to feed?" Marcus asked. "How would you feel if you accidentally killed her?"

The very idea horrified Didyme. Marcus slowly turned towards the car.

"I will do it, my love. She will not feel a thing."

Before her mate could get too close, Didyme raced over to the opened door and stepped between the girl and Marcus. He looked at her in shock.

"Do not prolong this, Didyme. It will only make it worse for her."

"This isn't the only way. There's another."

"Enlighten me."

Didyme took a breath before speaking again.

"Before I came back to you, I was told of an alternative to human blood. Animal blood can also sustain a vampire."

Marcus's eyes widened, and he shook his head once more.

"Absolutely not."

"Why?"

"We are not designed that way. Animal blood sustains, but it weakened the vampire body. Those who feed from animals aren't as strong as those who feed from humans. And it isn't appetizing, Didyme. You would never feel fully satisfied."

"Is that what matters to you, Marcus? Being strong?"

"If course it isn't, but you must see reason."

"Please…won't you consider it?"

"We can_not!_"

Staring into the adamant eyes of her mate, Didyme felt an intense instinct well up inside of her. Turning around, she picked up the little girl and started walking away. Marcus stared after her.

"Didyme, you will **not** walk away from me!"

"Then what is it that I'm doing?" Didyme snapped over her shoulder.

Restraining his anger, Marcus started to walk after her. He made sure to stay a few paces back.

"Am I in trouble?" the girl asked.

"Oh, no," Didyme answered, forcing a laugh. "No, we were just talking. You know, you never told me your name, young one."

"Dahnya."

"That's pretty. My name's Didyme, and the man behind us is Marcus."

Dahnya glanced past Didyme's shoulder and smiled at the older vampire.

"Hi, Marcus," she said with a smile and a small wave.

Marcus was a bit taken aback by this, but a small part of him couldn't help but feel affectionate for the child. But he immediately looked down and shook the thought away.

_Becoming attached would do no good. We simply cannot keep her!_

OOOOOOOOOO

They stopped after the sun had gone down. Marcus built a small fire for the girl, but she was still quite cold in her thin clothes. Seeing this, Didyme slipped her coat off and wrapped it around Dahnya. It apparently helped, as she was asleep within a few minutes. Didyme looked down at the sleeping child, gently stroking her back.

"Didyme."

She barely glanced up at Marcus, but forced herself to get up and join him a few feet away.

"Yes?"

"Why do you persist? You know it will only end badly."

"Not if we try it."

"It will never stick. The pull of human blood is far too strong."

"But it doesn't have to be."

Marcus eyed her curiously as she continued.

"The vampires I encountered, that fed on animals…they seemed so, I don't know…calm. And they lived in an environment with plenty of humans around. Maybe that's an advantage of the blood."

"True, drinking animal blood makes it easier to live among humans, but think of what happened today. Do you truly wish to live in a society filled with such sickness and vanity? And what of this child? She would need food daily, as well as clothing. Our money will not hold out forever. We would have to settle down, Didyme. What of our travelling?"

"We could always resume our journey after she's changed. After all, we're not on a time limit. And while living among humans isn't exactly what I had in mind…for her, I'd do anything. And we can keep her away from the world, we can teach her ourselves. And perhaps I could obtain employment to provide for her."

"Didyme…"

"_Marcus_."

He looked into his mate's eyes and recognized the determination all too well.

"Let her sleep for now, and we will decide when she wakes."

Didyme hesitated for a moment before nodding.

"Very well."

Marcus stepped forward and grasped both her shoulders.

"My love…please, do not ever walk away from me like that again. It is pure torture."

"Okay. I'm sorry."

She let him pull her into an embrace before they both walked back over to the fire.

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_**I hope you enjoyed this chapter.**_


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